Becoming Brothers.

These are my boys (minus Giganto) waiting for their act to go on at the school’s Talent Show. They are all drummers. They belong to the local Boys and Girls Club’s Drum Line, but they also take private drum lessons (from the drummer for James Brown no less).

Their mom bought them those awesome hats.

Before you accuse me of child abuse, they enjoy dressing alike.

Drumming is something that has bonded my boys. It’s an activity they all do together and they have recently begun to ask when Giganto can join their threesome. They’re quite the trio.

I had no clue what this meant until I saw them perform last week. I know that not everyone knows this, but these boys weren’t brothers in the beginning. They would have likely never met one another had God not brought them to our family. One came in infancy, one from birth, and the other as a school-aged child. I can honestly say, they’re emotionally closer than some bio brothers I know.

People ask me about “older child” adoption quite a bit and what it was like to add children into our family outside of age order. I know that my experience doesn’t reflect everyone’s experience. Adding Giggles and ShyGuy was a much smoother transition than adding Bubbly, who was a toddler at the time. I can’t imagine life without my GhanaDuo.

I think “older” kids (I keep using quotes because the Duo were 5 and 8 years old at the time of their adoption, for a lot of people this seems “old”. To me, they were babies) are often overlooked when it comes to checking that box on your home study. A lot of people tell me they don’t think the kids in their home would “do well” with having a sibling their age. We don’t really know how old the Duo are. If we go with what is written on their Ghanaian birth certificates than Middle-Middle and ShyGuy are less than 30 days apart in age. Middle-Middle would be the first to tell you that he loves his big/little brother. ShyGuy loves his Middle-Middle. These two were made to be brothers.

Don’t let fear stop you from looking at “older” children. There are so many great kids out there waiting for families. Go here to learn more.

–FullPlateMom,

who should also add that anyone under 18 years old is now considered a “baby” to her, which means…I’m getting old.

Hi Carey,My boys are in the Drum Line through the local Boys and Girls Club. It is more in the style of a marching band then African drumming. Although, they do that too. They also take private lessons. I’ll post a video in the near future.